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Erzsibet Mara
Erzsibet Renata Mara (Styled Lady Myrewood) is an adept arcanist, an accomplished archaeologist, and a practitioner of the dark arts. The eldest child of Count Janos Mara and his Stromic bride, Annika Stromvyr, Erzsibet was born in the city of Stormwind, with every advantage one might expect as the child of two wealthy aristocrats. Being the eldest of two children, on the death of her father, Erzsibet became the 18th Countess of Myrewood, inheriting a number of subsidiary titles and properties once held by the late Count. Founder of the Myrewood Historical Society, Erzsibet has brokered the sale of numerous antiques, artifacts, and magical items in order to finance the restoration of her family's vast estate in the region of Duskwood and continue the family's numerous charitable endeavors. She seems to be feared by the common people who live and work on her own land, and is often poorly regarded by commoners in general due to her staunch support for both the Monarchy and the Kingdom's aristocracy as natural leaders, and for her desire to see the aristocracy wield the same influence it once did before the rise and fall of the Defias Brotherhood. Appearance Average in height, she appears not much older than thirty. Save for a touch of dark mascara and nail polish, she uses little makeup, but clearly takes the time to make herself as attractive as possible. Her shoulder length hair is meticulously well cared for, and worn in a variety of the year's most popular styles. With regard to jewels, Erzsibet favors silver and emeralds, each exquisite piece of her collection carefully selected to compliment her daily choice of attire. Despite once being married, she wears neither a wedding band, nor an engagement ring. She favors dark, elegant gowns and revealing corsets made from the finest silks and the softest leather, each exquisitely tailored to accentuate her slim, but shapely figure--some leaving very little to the imagination. Her favorite boots are nearly knee-high and made of soft, tooled leather, the heels adding another two inches to her height. Her courtly etiquette, intelligence and refined speech hint at the quality of education available only to the aristocracy. The sultry tone of her voice reveals a faint, Stromic accent, although she was obviously born and raised in Stormwind, and familiar with its customs. Personality Possessing a dominant personality, Erzsibet is a well-educated, strong-willed woman who is unafraid to make use of the darker aspects of magic when it suits her. Thoroughly convinced that the end justifies the means, Erzsibet will not shrink from using any means necessary to acquire knowledge and greater power. She tends to dominate the weak-minded, and can be quie manipulative when she wants something. Despite being estranged from her family for many years, on the death of her father, Erzsibet inherited his land and titles, affording her many advantages she now exploits, such as unsupervised access to Stormwind's Royal Library, limited access to top-secret documents, and connections to some of the most powerful families in the Kingdom. Accused by a former paramour of being self-serving, manipulative, and thoroughly unscrupulous, her true motivations are seldom revealed until she has reached a particular goal. She has been known to lie, cheat, kill, seduce, or otherwise manipulate others in order to achieve her goals, and she is always quick to discard those who are no longer of any use to her. Politics Although she has only taken her seat in Stormwind's house of nobles in recent years, Erzsibet seems to have learned a great deal from her father about the Kingdom's politics. To date, Erzsibet has addressed the house on a handful of occasions. In her maiden speech, Erzsibet touched upon the importance of maintaining the Kingdom's vast agricultural estates and the impact which the large inheritance tax has had on so many of them. Applauded by those who had also felt the impact of the tax, Erzsibet was encouraged to draft a proposal for reform. Months later, she gave a brief talk, addressing a rather controversial subject. Stormwind's Warlocks. In her talk, Erzsibet outlined the numerous contributions made by warlocks to the Kingdom's military efforts and the necessity to see those who were loyal to King and Country exempted from parts of the Witchcraft Act via a system of licensing and a second amendment. While not so well-received as her maiden speech, this proposal did receive some support and was eventually signed into law. Considered to be a conservative in many respects, Erzsibet is a staunch supporter of the Monarchy and the supporting role of the aristocracy in maintaining order within the Kingdom. She believes the current inheritance tax to be extreme, and has frequently warned that it will herald the eventual destruction of the aristocracy, many of whose estates have already fallen into disrepair as a result of financial burdens placed upon them by such taxes levied to finance the ongoing wars of the Grand Alliance. Desiring a return to the power once enjoyed by the Kingdom's aristocracy before the Stonemasons debacle and the rise of the Defias Brotherhood, Erzsibet is known to support any proposed laws that may aid in bringing this about. Additionally, she is a member of the political party known as the Association of Stormwind's Conservative Peers, once headed by the 8th, and now 9th Duke of Newcastle. Relationships Known to have thrice refused potential suitors, Erzsibet remained unwed and without children until the age of thirty four, when she married Sebastian Alden. She is known to have had more than a dozen lovers, both male and female. Although she has recently been urged by her mother to marry a second time, Erzsibet shows little interest in doing so at thirty five as she now has an heir, and presently enjoys her freedom. Ursula Winerose A former mentor, Erzsibet is rumored to have been physically intimate with both Ursula and her late husband, Janos Levente for more than six years. After Ursula's departure from the Coven, the two have remained estranged. Karanyi DuBellerose Initially taken on as a hired bodyguard, Kara and Erzsibet became very close during her brief leadership of the Coven of Duskwood. It is rumored that the two became lovers, but whatever the truth behind the rumors, Kara's counsel seems to be valued above most others. Their relationship underwent a great deal of strain in the months following the dissolution of the Coven, and the two were estranged for more than a year until recently. Arryc Blackwood Erzsibet is rumored to have begun an affair with the married Earl of Blackwood while serving together in Shadowmoon Valley against the Iron Horde. Although it was not initially made public, Erzsibet was carrying Lord Blackwood's child. When asked, Erzsibet insisted that Blackwood intended to divorce his wife and marry her, but died bravely in combat before he was able to do so. A lie of course, but one necessary to avoid scandal and facilitate the legitimization of the child. Taindrel Moonsorrow A dear friend and former member of the Coven, the kaldorei shadow priestess became Erzsibet's most trusted friend, confidant and lover. At Taindrel's invitation, Erzsibet remained her guest until her first child was born. Dalrath Nightsong A handsome kaldorei mercenary of questionable repute, rumored to have ties to SI:7, Erzsibet seduced him during a brief period in which he served as her bodyguard. His present whereabouts are unknown. Lord Ravenshire Formerly an elder of the Coven of Duskwood, Varyc was granted the 500 acre, Barony of Ravenshire by Erzsibet in October of 625 K.C. While it is rumored that she and Lord Varyc have been lovers, the truth of their relationship remained a mystery, even after his death. Sebastian Alden A former acolyte and apprentice of Erzsibet's, Sebastian would eventually become her husband. Not long after the marriage, Sebastian was found to be aiding the burning legion and was killed on the Broken Isles. The exact circumstances of his death remain a mystery as far as the public is concerned, but it is believed that Erzsibet killed him personally. Ethan Ravensdale Youngest of the 9th Earl of Ravensdale's sons, Ethan traveled to Stormwind a year before the passage of Erzsibet's amendment to the Witchcraft Act and was one of her most promising acolytes. Erzsibet enjoyed a brief, but passionate affair with the twenty four year-old Gilnean, which ended when he unexpectedly inherited the family title after the forsaken sacked Ravenshire and slew both his elder brothers and their families. Oddly, their relationship was one of the few approved by Erzsibet's mother. The pair did eventually marry, however the union would not last long. Still the subject of an ongoing investigation, Lord Ravensdale is said to have murdered eight people before ending his own life. [[Collin Mahony|'Collin Mahony']] Erzsibet met the dashing young half-Gilnean, half-Kul Tiran pirate not long before she married Lord Ravensdale. What began as another of her passionate affairs quickly became something even Erzsibet had not expected when she found herself in love with the man despite his lack of wealth, or even proper upbringing. Despite a number of problems along the way and a marriage of convenience to Lord Ravensdale gone awry, the pair had a daughter together shortly after the fall of the Burning Legion and to smooth over any ill-feelings her family may have had about her relationship, she granted Collin a Knighthood and insisted that she would marry him. Military Service Lady Marshal, Myrewood Brigade Despite having no real military experience, Lady Myrewood journeyed to Draenor with her local levy and managed to lead them to two small victories against the Iron Horde. Sadly, the third and last engagement of her brief foray into battle would prove a total disaster, leading to the deaths of two officers and more than fifty enlisted soldiers, but perhaps worst of all, the capture and execution of a fellow noble peer and a number of his own soldiers. Shortly after a daring, but failed rescue attempt in Shadowmoon Valley, Erzsibet elected to return to Stormwind and leave military matters to those best suited to such. ALthough she retains the title "Lady Marshal" it is merely an honorific, as she no longer leads the troops into battle. The Myrewood Brigade is presently commanded by her uncle, Captain Bjorn Stromvyr. A decorated veteran of three major Alliance conflicts, Captain Stromvyr has proved to be a far more effective leader, covering himself in glory from one end of Draenor to the other and winning several decisive victories against the Iron Horde. The Broken Isles Erzsibet spent three months on the Broken Isles, where she is known to have personally slain a Pit Lord, and countless lesser demons while aiding the Alliance effort. The specifics of what she got up to during her time on the isles remain mysterious, but her power as a warlock has grown so significantly that she was proposed for membership in the Black Harvest. It is unknown whether she accepted, largely due to the organization's secrecy. History Early Years Born on the family's Myrewood Castle estate just miles from Stormwind City, Erzsibet traveled extensively throughout her childhood, and had seen much of the Eastern Kingdoms by the time she came of age. Her mother, a native of the Arathi Highlands was the driving force behind such extensive travel, and her early introduction to society. When she traveled with her mother, Lady Annika's entire retinue, including Erzsibet's tutors traveled with them. As a result, by the time Erzsibet was of an age to marry, she was better educated than most, and thoroughly indoctrinated in the ways of polite society. At her pious father's request, Erzsibet's early education also included the study of Holy Scripture under the personal tutelage of the Bishop of Myrewood at the historic, Myrewood Abbey. Although even as a child, Erzsibet did not necessarily agree with everything written in the scriptures, she was noted as an exceptional student. Affinity For Magic During a summer visit with relatives in the Arathi Highlands, Erzsibet discovered that her aunt was not only a skilled arcanist at the Trollbane Court, but a practicing warlock in secret. Intrigued and perhaps seduced by the power that came with such dark magic, she began her studies at the age of just ten. By the age of sixteen, she had the skill of a practiced mage, but even that seemed quite trivial when compared to the power to bind a demonic entity to her own will. Thus began her pursuit of demonology under her Aunt's ever-watchful eye. At her mother's request, Erzsibet applied to Stormwind's Academy Of Magic at the age of fifteen, but was turned away due to her affinity for the darker aspects of magic. Somewhat discouraged, but unwilling to abandon her studies, Erzsibet continued to learn under the tutelage of her aunt until the sacking of Stromgarde, when she was forced to return to Stormwind in the interest of her safety. Betrothal At her father's behest, Erzsibet was promised to a man more than twice her age--a Stromic aristocrat, and former counselor to the Trollbanes. She was outraged when she learned of the betrothal, convinced that it would mean the end of her studies and a miserable life with a man she did not know in a Kingdom far away. At twenty one, Erzsibet decided that marriage and children were the last thing she desired, and so she found a way to end the betrothal, albeit in a manner that was quite scandalous. Six months before the wedding was to take place, Erzsibet invited a certain young man she was fond of to spend an evening with her at the family's Stormwind house, knowing that her father would soon return from his duties in the house of nobles. She made certain to wear her most revealing gown, and easily seduced her guest, knowing well that her intended would not have her if she was publicly known to no longer a maiden. When her father returned from a long, miserable evening in the house of nobles, Count Janos discovered his daughter in flagrante delicto with said young man. Upon discovering his daughter with her lover, Count Janos flew into a rage, drew his dagger, and slew the young man while Erzsibet watched. Effectively ending her betrothal, that unfortunate young man would be the first of many lovers she would use to serve her own ends. Unfortunately, the incident had unforseen consequences. Unlike most aristocratic families, the Maras letters patent called for succession to be determined by Cognatic Primogeniture, a method by which the eldest child inherits all titles, property and wealth, regardless of their sex. For having brought such dishonor to the family, Erzsibet was told she would be disinherited in favor of her younger brother, and bannished to the family's ancient, crumbling estate at Starfall in the very heart of Duskwood's forests. Life in Duskwood It was in Duskwood, that Erzsibet was finally able to continue her studies without interruption, quickly discovering that to have potentially lost her inheritance and the pressure to marry that came with it was a blessing in disguise. The Manor itself had once been a place of great magic and though it had been long-dormant, Erzsibet's mere presence seemed to wake it. Because she was her mother's favorite, she would never want for money so long as Lady Annika lived, and with such a large estate to herself, Erzsibet could concentrate her efforts on the mastery of her craft. The Coven Soon discovered by the secretive High Priestess of a small Coven, Lady Ursula Levente, Erzsibet was readily embraced, and would serve as apprentice to Lady Ursula for more than a decade. A master of the Light and Shadow in equal parts, Lady Ursula and the Coven Elders witheld nothing from their young apprentice, and as the years passed, Erzsibet realized that she was being groomed to take up the mantle of leadership when Ursula was no longer capable. The Death of Lord Myrewood Desiring reconciliation with his daughter as his health began to fail him, Lord Myrewood shocked the entire family by announcing that he had never gone through with disowning his beloved, first born child, and Erzsibet remained his lawful heiress. On the death of her father, all lands and titles held by the late Count passed to Erzsibet, and so began a renewed animosity between Erzibet and her younger brother, who had long desired a peerage of his own. Although she would not immediately leave the family's Duskwood Estate, Erzsibet did take her father's seat in Stormwind's house of nobles and it quickly became apparent that unlike her father, Erzsibet intended to make use of her position. She set to work immediately on authoring legislation, though it has taken more than a year for such legislation to see its day in the house. Draenor and the End of the Coven With its leadership in tatters following the vote that would see its founder removed, the Coven itself ceased to exist. Undaunted by its destruction and spurred on by the words of one of the Coven's former members, Erzsibet decided that when the King called for more soldiers in Draenor to combat the dark forces that had risen up against the native Draenei, she would personaly lead Myrewood's levy in battle. With no prior military experience, this decision would prove to be a terrible mistake. Despite her inexperience, Erzsibet had the benefit of good counsel when she joined forces with two of Duskwood's other aristocrats and former Coven Elder, Lord Varyc. Together with Lord Blackwood who had been among the first to step through the Dark Portal in pursuit of the Iron Horde, Lord Varyc and Lord Ravenswood, Erzsibet was able to establish a small base of operations in Shadowmoon Valley. There, she managed to lead her own levy to two small victories against the Shadowmoon Orcs. While serving together, Erzsibet and Lord Blackwood are said to have become very close, and it was rumored that he shared her bed at least once while the two remained in Shadowmoon Valley. Regardless of the truth, their affair was cut short when her largest blunder of the campaign would see them trapped between two enemy forces. Believing that the orcs might spare the enlisted men, Lord Blackwood laid down his sword and surrendered himself, buying time for Erzsibet and many others to escape. Blackwood's surrender proved ineffective, and both he and Lord Ravenswood were captured along with their men. Lord Ravenswood was tortured for six days and later executed. It was believed that Lord Blackwood suffered the same fate, but his remains were never recovered. Return to Stormwind Humbled by her own shortcomings and blaming herself for the fate of two men she respected, Erzsibet left her uncle in command of the Myrewood Brigade and shut herself in at Myrewood House when she returned to Stormwind. She seldom emerged after her return to Stormwind, and was rumored to be carrying Lord Blackwood's bastard. Erzsibet shocked her entire family by later admitting that the rumors were true, and that she would carry the child to term. Isolation Shamed by such a scandal that could damage her family's reputation, Erzsibet quit Stormwind City in favor of the family's Duskwood estate, where she remained indoors and in near total isolation for months. Although her intent had been to remain in isolation until the child was born, loneliness and boredom prompted her to reconnect with Taindrel Moonsorrow, with whom she later resided as a guest. During her stay, a chance encounter with Magistrate Glycerius Alexander Titus prompted her to mention the changes she had drafted for the Witchcraft Act. As head of the Legislative Committee, Magistrate Titus offered to bring the document before the committee and do what he could to see it brought before the house of nobles. Her proposed amendment was later added to the docket for September's session of the house, during which Erzsibet was present. The Unborn Child Although it remained to be seen whether or not she would petition the King to have the child legitimized after the birth, Erzsibet was repeatedly urged not to do so by her mother. Desiring to avoid scandal, Lady Annika was bitterly opposed to the idea of a bastard, legitimized or not, inheriting the family's titles, land and wealth. In that, Erzsibet's brother shared their mother's concern, albeit for other, more selfish reasons. Despite such opposition, Erzsibet has repeatedly insisted that because both parents are of ancient, noble blood, and the King would have to grant the petition, the scandal would be minimal. Furthermore, Ersibet insisted that if he had lived, Lord Blackwood intended to divorce his wife and marry her, making the child legitimate anyway. 2nd Amendment to the Witchcraft Act Erzsibet personally authored the proposed 2nd Amendment to the Witchcraft Act, which was brought before the house of nobles on September 5th. While her legislation did not go to an immediate vote, the Countess remained optimistic that it would pass the scrutiny of the legislative committee, and the amendment was finally signed into law after a favorable vote in October's session. Motherhood Erzsibet gave birth to a healthy son on October fifteenth, shortly after her proposed amendment to the Witchcraft Act was signed into law. The boy was named Janos Arryc after Erzsibet's late lord father and the child's own father respectively. Erzsibet petitioned the King to have the child legitimized just three days after his birth, citing a letter in which Arryc Ashvale declared his intent to divorce Lady Ashvale and marry Erzsibet when he returned from active military service in Draenor. The validity of the letter is much in dispute, and many claim that Erzsibet herself forged it so that she might lay claim to Lord Blackwood's titles and estate through their child. Regardless of the letter's validity, Erzsibet's petition was granted and the child by Lord Blackwood has been legitimized. To further ensure his legitimacy would be accepted, Erzsibet commanded the Bishop of Myrewood to officiate his consecration at Myrewood Abbey. The infant now stands to inherit all of the family's lands and titles, and is also first in the line of succession to the Earldom of Blackwood, the title once held by his deceased father and presently held by his one-year-old half-brother. Assassination Attempt On the evening of October 30th, Erzsibet was the victim of a failed assassination attempt when her carriage was ambushed on the way to Myrewood House in Stormwind City. Her maidservant, Lady Sarah Stromvyr and the driver of her carriage, Peter Harding were both fatally wounded during the attempt on Erzsibet's life. The official report from the Stormwind Guard states that Erzsibet managed to slay one of the assailants, and two others escaped before the Countess collapsed beside the carriage. Fortunately, her infant was not in the carriage when it was stopped by the would-be assassins, and the Countess herself suffered only minor injuries. Officially, there are no suspects at present, and the Countess remains under guard at her Stormwind residence. Many believe that this attempt on her life was perpetrated by an opponent of her recent amendment to the Witchcraft Act. It was later made public that the attempted assassination was ordered by none other than Erzsibet's own sister in-law, who wished to see her own children inherit Myrewood. The Price of Progress Upon returning to Myrewood house after her cousin's funeral on November second, Erzsibet received another death threat, the last of many she has received since her amendment to the Witchcraft Act was passed in October. As the letter was unsigned, there are presently no suspects. For her own peace of mind and the safety of her infant, Erzsibet has engaged the services of a kaldorei protector, trained in the art of combat. With so many death threats and a recent attempt on her life, the Countess rarely leaves her Stormwind residence without an armed escort. Reconciliation After many years of animosity, Erzsibet and her younger brother were finally reconciled on November 4th of 625 K.C. After it was discovered that his wife, Lady Anne Ellise had ordered the recent attempt on Erzsibet's life, Andras too faced possible execution. Captured by the Duke of Newcastle and held in the dungeons of Castle Sutton while he awaited trial, Andras made a stunning confession with regard to his wife's involvement in the attempted assassination. After he agreed to divorce Lady Anne and disavow her actions, Lord Andras was released from his cell. Lady Anne has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and the murder of Lady Sarah Stromvyr, who was fatally wounded during the attempt on Erzsibet's life. She is said to have made a full confession and thrown herself at the mercy of Stormwind's Courts. Although she has not been sentenced, Lady Anne faces the possibility of death by beheading. Lord Andras has since refused to divorce his wife, insisting that regardless of her actions, he is still very much in love with her. Justice? After being urged by Alonsus the Second to remove herself from the legal process rather than to use her influence to encourage the Lord-Magistrate to pass a more lenient sentence such as house arrest at her brother's request, Erzsibet did not even deign to attend Lady Anne's sentencing hearing. Initially sentenced to hang as if she were a common criminal, Lord Andras fell to his knees at the Lord-Magistrate's feet, pleading for mercy on his wife's behalf. Lady Anne was beheaded instead, as befit a woman of her noble birth. Erzsibet was observed as being somewhat melancholy after the execution, and was overheard speaking of what a terrible shame it was for her nephews and niece to have lost their mother so young. She has made no public statement with regard to the trial's outcome, nor does she seem willing to discuss it outside the Mara family. The High Cost of Ambition By November, there had been three more attempts on Erzsibet's life, resulting in the capture of two of the would-be assassins. Both men were tortured until they confessed to being part of a group known as The Light's Vengeance, which was formed following the passage of the Second Amendment to the Witchcraft Act. Both men were swiftly put to death after refusing to divulge information regarding the group's leadership. While it has not been proved, it is believed by Duskwood's authorities that the group is also responsible for the disappearance of Lord Ravenshire in late November, just before he was to take up his position on the newly-created board of licensing called for by the Amendment. A fourth attempt on Erzsibet's life resulted in the deaths of two of her guards, a servant, and a known warlock who is said to have been meeting with the Countess with regard to acquiring a license to practice demonology in Stormwind. Erzsibet sustained a single gunshot wound to the right thigh and the assailants were cut down by members of her household guard when they attempted to flee after realizing that the Countess would live. Following the fourth attempt on her life, Erzsibet's infant son was sent to Castle Sutton, where he was to be fostered with the Duke of Newcastle for his own safety. The Countess herself went into hiding while agents of SI:7 and Officers of the Stormwind Guard conducted a joint investigation into the group known as The Light's Vengeance. The investigation led to the capture of more than a dozen individuals and the deaths of half as many others. Several confessions were extracted, leading to the closure of two other onging investigations, including the attack on Myrewood Abbey. Believing the most pressing threat to be at an end, Erzsibet returned to Stormwind in late March after learning of the Duke of Newcastle's declining health. She is said to have been present when the 67 year-old Duke suffered a massive stroke, resulting in his death. With her most powerful ally dead, Erzsibet collected her son and returned to Myrewood House in Stormwind City, where she intends to remain so that she may attend April's session of the house of nobles. With so many of her plans beginning to crumble and the possibility of her amendment being repealed in the house of nobles, Erzsibet was further disappointed when only a handful of Stormwind's warlocks offered their voices in support of the legislation. Still others warned that Stormwind's warlocks should remain in the shadows where they may work more effectively. A Marriage Of Convenience, Or Was It? Unable to find a suitable husband of rank and title at thirty four years old, Erzsibet created perhaps the largest scandal the Mara family had endured in a hundred years when she married her Apprentice, a man nearly half her age and of no great family or title. Although her family did not approve, Erzsibet insisted that the matrilineal union benefited them, in that any children born of the marriage would carry on the Mara name. For her own reasons, she chose Sebastian, knowing that he would not protest her unwillingness to remain monogamous and that he had agreed to take up Lord Varyc's work after his death. Not long after the marriage, Ersibet began to suspect her husband's motives were altogether different than she had been led to believe and in September, those suspicions were confirmed when she discovered that he had been performing dark rituals in the sealed tower at Starfall Manor. Among Sebastian's things, she discovered a coded message--a communication between him and the same men responsible for burning Lord Varyc at the stake. Convinced that he sought to claim Varyc's power for himself all along, Erzsibet discovered that he'd also taken Varyc's grimoire, a book which contains centuries of secrets regarding the darkest of magic and its uses. Shortly after the return of the Burning Legion, it was revealed that Sebastian was in fact aiding a Dreadlord, having been promised unfathomable power in exchange for his assistance in bringing about Lord Varyc's demise. When she eventually caught up to him on the Broken Isles, Erzsibet's fury knew no bounds. After a rather one-sided battle, her husband and one-time apprentice died in agony as he was bathed in fel fire. To avoid scandal, Erzsibet ensured that so far as the public was concerned, her husband died fighting the Burning Legion. Second Marriage and Love At Last? Shortly after becoming part of a secret society, Erzsibet began a passionate affair with a half-Gilnean, Half-Kul Tiran pirate who was ten years her junior and while initially she intended to keep things casual, the Countess soon discovered her feelings ran deeper than she would have preferred. Unlucky as she so often was, Erzsibet also discovered that Collin's past was far more complicated than he'd led her to believe, but by the time the truth was clear, Erzsibet had just learned that she was carrying his child. With her relationship with the dashing young pirate in doubt and an unplanned child on the way, Erzsibet did the only thing she could to avoid a scandal and married the Earl of Ravensdale after he agreed to claim the child as his own. Theirs was a short and unhappy marriage, ending just months after it began when Ravensdale is said to have murdered eight people, including his own cousin, his only known mistress, and several members of his uncle's household in Stormwind before taking his own life. Still shrouded in mystery, the official investigation was abruptly ended, likely to avoid further scandal and shame to the family. Alone and several months into her pregnancy, Erzsibet found herself missing Collin more than she ever thought possible and when new information came to light regarding his activities within the society they were both a part of, Erzsibet came to terms with who he was and why he'd done the things he had. Despite the scandal she knew would result in doing so, after the birth of their daughter, Erzsibet publicly acknowledged Collin as the girl's father, granting him an honorary Knighthood to raise his standing in the Kingdom of Stormwind and insisting she would marry him no matter what her family thought of it. Rebellion in Myrewood Myrewood Abbey had endured a succession of corrupt Bishops and while the Maras had ignored this for many years, Erzsibet was finally moved to act when she discovered that Myrewood's newest Bishop had conspired with her brother to unseat her as Countess of Myrewood. In a rage and having given little thought to the consequences, Erzsibet had the Myrewood Brigade storm the Abbey and confiscate all its wealth before arresting the Bishop and all the senior clergy. Without trial, Bishop Thomas was declared guilty of treason and publicly drawn and quartered in front of the entire congregation. To make matters worse, in a move that shocked even her most loyal supporters, Erzsibet sign her own brother's death warrant, but commuted his sentence to a swift beheading rather than the slow, agonizing death his co-conspirator had suffered. Despite using all the wealth she confiscated from the Abbey to rebuild every village and farm on Mara lands, Myrewood's peasants feared that she planned to suppress the Church entirely and were stirred to rebel against their Countess by disenfranchised members of the senior clergy who had been pardoned earlier. A series of bloody skirmishes broke out across Mara lands, resulting in the deaths of several Knights and countless peasants. Seeing the chaos as a means by which to seize power, a former supporter of Erzsibet's father who had been raised to Knighthood by the old Lord Myrewood stepped in and took over leadership of the scattered rebellion by murdering Sir Edryc, the paladin who had until that point, led the rebel forces. Sir Joran devised a scheme to capture the Countess, have her children declared bastards, and seat her nephew in her place, a boy of just sixteen who could be easily controlled. Erzsibet was captured while riding out to negotiate peace with the rebels and endured a month as Joran's prisoner while the sellsword turned Knight weaved a tangled web of lies that would see him in control of half the region by the start of May. Erzsibet escaped with the aid of her young nephew who proved to be far less predictable than Joran had anticipated and has just begun the daunting process of ending the rebellion and retaking the towns held by the rebels. 3rd Marriage Months after Ethan was believed dead, Erzsibet shocked her family by marrying Collin in a small, private ceremony and even allowing the former pirate to style himself Lord Myrewood despite numerous objections by her relatives. Their daughter Ilona has since been recognized as second in line to the family title. The War of Thorns With long-time allies among the kaldorei, Erzsibet was quick to mobilize the entire Myrewood Brigade, even calling upon her Cousin's Kul Tiran bride to supply ships in an effort to form a small fleet. Erzsibet arrived just five days after the first Horde incursion, but rather than bolster the forces of the Kaldorei in Darnassus, she ordered the entirety of her force to secure the azerite mine just offshore. Losing nearly half her fighting men in a savage battle that lasted three and a half hours, the Countess was forced to retreat into the mine when the Horde brought reinforcements via airships. Leading the small fleet she had obtained, her uncle, Lord Berek Mara arrived just in time to relieve her forces and secure the azerite, though she had help during the long wait from another noble of Duskwood, Lord Aberdeen, whose militia combined with her own to hold off the goblins. Upon her return to Stormwind with the holds of three ships filled with azerite, the Countess is said to have turned much of it over to the Crown. Those among her Noble Peers who have always disliked her claim that it was yet another effort to have her title upgraded to a Dukedom. Regardless of the reason behind her efforts in Darkshore, Erzsibet has assured the King that Myrewood's resources and fighting men are at his disposal, including her small fleet. Her husband, now styled Lord Myrewood was given command of a ship of his own and received letters of mark from Stormwind, allowing him to attack any ship flying the Horde flag and seize her cargo. Many have taken issue with her financing Privateers, though she continues to remind them that Stormwind needs Privateers each time the Kingdom goes to war. Rumors - Fact or Fiction? "People tend to believe rumor, simply because it is far more exciting than the truth. Commoners are all too eager to believe the worst where the aristocracy is concerned, because it takes their minds off of their own, dreadfully boring lives." Erzsibet Mara. Although there is no proof, it is rumored by Myrewood's more superstitious peasants that Erzsibet: *Uses her family's past and present contributions to the Church of the Holy Light as a means to gain influence and absolution for the many sins she continues to commit. *Is a hedonist and has had more than a hundred lovers. *Is a witch, responsible for the sacrifice of scores of Myrewood's peasants. *Bathes in the blood of those she sacrifices in unholy summoning rituals. *Has had carnal relations with demons. *Has been corrupted by the destructive fel magic and demonology she practices. *Murdered a visiting noble and disposed of his corpse in the swamp East of Myrewood Castle. Trivia * Despite all the awful rumors, Erzsibet is only known to have summoned a demonic entity while serving against the Iron Horde in Shadowmoon Valley and later, on the Broken Isles while combating the forces of the Burning Legion. She has never publicly acted outside the bounds of the Witchcraft Act and a brief investigation into her activities revealed no basis for any charges to be filed. * Erzsibet believes that any person found guilty of aiding an agent of the Burning Legion should be put to death, and has authored legislation that guarantees such a punishment, regardless of the offender's social status. * Despite rumors to the contrary, Erzsibet's proposed legislation sought to further regulate the practice of demonology and other dangerous forms of magic by citizens of the Kingdom of Stormwind, not exploit the law to the advantage of Stormwind's Warlocks. * Her brother, Andras Mara was indeed responsible for an attempt on her life in early January of 621 K.C. during which her Lady's Maid and two other servants died from poison meant for her after they had been invited to share a meal with her. While she has always suspected his involvement, she has been unable to prove it and thus no charges were brought against him. * Created a scandal when at thirty four, she married her nineteen year-old Apprentice, Sebastian Alden. * Ordered Bishop Thomas Levente drawn and quartered without trial for his alleged treason. * Had her own brother, Andras Mara beheaded for treason after discovering his plot to unseat her. * Despite rumors of her intent to suppress the Church in Myrewood, she has used the entirety of the vast wealth she confiscated from Myrewood Abbey to rebuild every village and farm on Mara lands. * Has been criticized by some of her peers for financing Privateers. OOC Notes *This character has been opted into both the Stormwind Law Project, and the Stormwind House of Nobles Project, and is thus subject to the in-character regulations of both projects. Those interested in pursuing any legal action and/or investigations, or any other form of roleplay are encouraged to contact me in game on (Erzsibet) to obtain permission and/or additional in-character information. *This character shows no visible signs of being a warlock, and those claiming otherwise will be disregarded. *If this character is ever seen with a demon out anywhere in Stormwind, I am almost certainly sitting in a dungeon queue and not in-character. *I am happy to participate in a wide variety of role-play scenarios, but I do ask that you obtain OOC permission before you involve this, or any of my characters in legal action, attempted murder, maiming, imprisonment, etc. Category:Characters Category:Warlocks Category:House of Mara Category:Coven of Duskwood Category:Stormwind Peerage Category:Willowbrook Hunt Club Category:Stormwindian